Gaza: South African president welcomes Israel-Hamas agreement

President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa has welcomed the deal between Israel and Hamas for a four-day pause in fighting that has wreaked havoc on Gaza.

The start of the pause, which is due to be announced within 24 hours, will see Hamas freeing 50 hostages it seized last month, while Israel will release about 150 Palestinian prisoners as part of the deal.

In a statement, Mr Ramaphosa said: “As a member of the international community that stands for peace, justice and the rule of international law in all parts of the world, South Africa welcomes the agreement reached.

“It is my hope that the achievement of this pause will strengthen efforts to achieve an outright end to the current conflict.”

South Africa has been supporting the Palestinian struggle even before the latest war on Gaza.

Recall that members of the South African parliament, in a glaring show of support for the people of Gaza, voted to end all relations with Israel and close its embassy in Pretoria, the capital city.

The ruling African National Congress (ANC) chief whip, Pemmy Majodina, and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader, Julius Malema, said the aggressive military campaigns of Israel have pushed South Africa to cut relations with the country until there was a ceasefire in the ongoing war in Gaza.

The Southern African country has also asked the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before the end of the year over Israel’s military offensives in Gaza.

Israel launched a retaliatory war on Gaza in response to a cross-border attack by Hamas on October 7, in which at least 1,200 people were killed and more than 200 others were taken hostage.

So far, at least 14,000 people have been killed in the territory since Israel launched the violent campaigns.